Staff

PWTF Staff

Polly Edelstein, Artistic Director

Polly Rose Edelstein has been living and working in the Philadelphia region for the past five years. She works as a freelance theater director, teaching artist, and administrator and currently resides in West Philadelphia. Polly received her BFA in Theatre Arts from Stephens College for Women in Columbia, MO. She is also a recent graduate of the Masters of Arts in Theatre with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management program at Villanova University where she worked as a graduate assistant for two years. Some of her favorite directing projects include Court-Martial at Fort Devens (Steel River Playhouse) Eurydice (Villanova University), Trappings (FringeArts), Stew You and How He Lied to Her Husband (Old Academy Players) and Eden (Crack the Glass Theatre Company). She has been a featured speaker at Villanova’s TEDx event (Theatre Beyond Theater), the Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium, and the Villanova Showcase. Other organizations Polly has worked with include: Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Steel River Playhouse, Theatre Horizon, the Darlington Arts Center, East Coast Recording, International Ballet Classique, Old Academy Players, The Pub Theater and Crack the Glass Theatre Company.

Christine Petrini, Managing Director

Christine is a singer, actress, arts administrator and teaching artist in the Philadelphia region. In September 2014, she graduated with distinction from Villanova University, earning a Master of Arts in Theatre and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management. Christine has a BA in Communications and Theatre from Temple University and studied Musical Theatre at The Catholic University of America. For her graduate thesis, Christine wrote a performed a one-woman musical, I Can Dress Myself. Her recent credits include The Light in the Piazza (Clara), Everyman (Good Deeds), Salome and The Drowsy Chaperone (Janet van de Graaff) at Villanova University. For the better part of a year, Christine performed as a vocalist at Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan. She was fortunate to perform Bernstein’s Mass at The Kennedy Center and enjoyed touring the U.S. with Babes in Toyland. Other favorite credits include Respect at Society Hill Playhouse, Burt and Me at Act II Playhouse and The Buddy Holly Story at The Media Theatre. Christine owns a music entertainment company, Wasabi Talent, singing and providing musicians for weddings and special occasions. She works as the Membership Services Associate for ArtPride New Jersey, servicing the nonprofit arts of New Jersey. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge of and passion for the theatre arts so that we all may experience the joy of storytelling, the art of collaboration and the unleashing creativity.

Megan Diehl, Artistic Associate

Megan Diehl is currently an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Theater at Temple University as well as a Development Assistant with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. As a freelance dramaturg, she has worked with companies such as Lantern Theatre Company (Doubt) and Montgomery Theater (Light Sensitive) along with her dramaturgy work with PSF and Villanova Theatre. Megan has been part of the Philadelphia theatre community for eight years, working with organizations such as Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Theater Horizon, Walnut Street Theater, and many more. An alumnus of DeSales University, she also recently obtained her M.A. in Theatre from Villanova University as well as a Certificate in Nonprofit Management. While at Villanova, she organized the 2014 Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium (featuring a keynote interview with Emily Mann), received the 2013 Graduate Liberal Arts & Sciences Summer Research Fellowship, and attended the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Washington, D.C. as the winner from Region 2 in the Institute of Theater Journalism and Advocacy.

Anne Goodman, Development Director

Anne Marie Goodman has been working in various administrative roles in the theater for the past 10 years. Her favorites include Development Associate at Two River Theater (Red Bank, NJ), Marketing Manager at Southern Utah University (Cedar City, UT), Production/Company Manager at the Neil Simon Festival (Cedar City, UT), Assistant Stage Manager at Long Wharf Theater (New Haven, CT), Stage Manager at Brevard Music Center (Brevard, NC), and Company Manager and Assistant Stage Manager at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (Center Valley, PA). Anne received her MFA in Arts Administration from Southern Utah University in 2010 and her BA in Theater Design/Technology from DeSales University in 2006.

Lauren Fanslau, Director of Education

Lauren has worked as a performer, choreographer, producer and educator in the greater Philadelphia region over the last six years and is a 2014 graduate of Villanova University’s M.A. Theatre program. Lauren currently works as the Administrative Assistant in the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts and as the Associate Movement Coach for Theatrical Trainer. While pursuing her Masters Degree in Theatre from Villanova University, Lauren wrote and performed her first solo piece, ReCalculating, during the 2014 Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium and as her final thesis for her graduate degree. Her Villanova credits include Everyman (Kindred), The Drowsy Chaperone (Mrs. Tottendale), and Salomé (Ensemble). In 2013, Lauren was awarded the first professional grant of the Villanova-Abbey Theatre Exchange and worked at Ireland’s National Theatre in Dublin. Her TEDx Talk entitled Theater Beyond Theater was inspired by her work in the Abbey’s Community/Education Department. Lauren received her B.A. in Theatre/Education from DeSales University in Center Valley, PA.

Austin Stanton, Marketing & Web Manager

Austin Stanton is a playwright, actress and comedienne. Favorite past shows include HMS Pinafore, Into the Woods, Dog Days, As It Is In Heaven, and Arthur Miller’s Playing for Time. Austin is also a freelance web and graphic designer and earned a Web Design: Professional certificate from the University of the Arts in 2013. She also performs stand-up comedy around Philadelphia.